Contempt charge: Court expresses displeasure over IGP’s absence

An Abuja High Court yesterday expressed its displeasure over the
absence of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, in a
contempt charge filed by the Peace Corps of Nigeria against him
(IGP). Peace Corps had filed a contempt charge seeking to commit
the IGP to two years imprisonment for persistent violation of court
order issued in 2014.

The court also imposed a fine of N5, 000 on the IGP for filing
his counter affidavit out of time, which caused the adjournment of
the hearing of the charge. The court, however, rescheduled hearing
for April 17.

When the matter was announced yesterday, counsel to the IGP,
Seidu Jubril, told the trial judge, Justice Silvanus Orji, that the
contempnor had disengaged his earlier counsel, O. M. Atoyebi.
Jubril further told the court that the Commissioner of Police in
charge of Legal Services, Mr. David Igbodo, was to henceforth
represent IGP and that he had on Monday filed a counter affidavit
against the originating summon. A drama, however, ensued when
Justice Orji demanded for the whereabouts of IGP Idris, who was
ordered to personally appear before the court yesterday. The
counsel, who was taken aback by the demand, informed the judge that
the IGP was out of Abuja at the time he was leaving office.

The judge, who was not pleased with the explanation of the
counsel, threw up another question as to whether the IGP was not
aware that he ought to be in court today, but the counsel promised
to convey the court’s feeling to the appropriate authority.

An Abuja High Court yesterday expressed its displeasure over the
absence of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, in a
contempt charge filed by the Peace Corps of Nigeria against him
(IGP). Peace Corps had filed a contempt charge seeking to commit
the IGP to two years imprisonment for persistent violation of court
order issued in 2014.

The court also imposed a fine of N5, 000 on the IGP for filing
his counter affidavit out of time, which caused the adjournment of
the hearing of the charge. The court, however, rescheduled hearing
for April 17.

When the matter was announced yesterday, counsel to the IGP,
Seidu Jubril, told the trial judge, Justice Silvanus Orji, that the
contempnor had disengaged his earlier counsel, O. M. Atoyebi.
Jubril further told the court that the Commissioner of Police in
charge of Legal Services, Mr. David Igbodo, was to henceforth
represent IGP and that he had on Monday filed a counter affidavit
against the originating summon. A drama, however, ensued when
Justice Orji demanded for the whereabouts of IGP Idris, who was
ordered to personally appear before the court yesterday. The
counsel, who was taken aback by the demand, informed the judge that
the IGP was out of Abuja at the time he was leaving office.

The judge, who was not pleased with the explanation of the
counsel, threw up another question as to whether the IGP was not
aware that he ought to be in court today, but the counsel promised
to convey the court’s feeling to the appropriate authority.